Air curtains protecting occupants of a vehicle from side impacts are well known in the art. Typically such systems include an air curtain guide incorporating a ramp to direct the trajectory of the inflating curtain so that it does not contact the upper edge of the center or B-pillar trim during deployment. This is done to minimize any possibility of the pillar trim becoming detached and preventing the curtain from achieving its intended “deployed” position from which it may provide maximum safety benefit.
Side air pillar curtain guides are typically very rigid in order to provide the desired ramp function when contacted by the rapidly inflating air curtain. In contrast to the required strength to withstand the initial impact and guide the inflating air curtain, the air curtain guide must also incorporate energy absorbing countermeasures in the event of a head impact so as to minimize potential injury to a vehicle occupant. In the past, these countermeasures have typically occupied space behind the headliner that drives the surface of the headliner into the interior of the cabin compromising the interior roominess of the vehicle.
This document relates to a side pillar air curtain guide that provides the necessary strength for properly guiding a rapidly inflating air curtain while also providing the desired energy absorbing characteristics necessary to minimize head injury in the event of a head impact. Further this is achieved in a compact structure which allows the possibility of maximizing the interior room of the passenger compartment of the vehicle.